The Girl With The Purple Hair
by PersnickityKitten
Summary: After Renee left, Henry became increasingly aware of the mansion's need for a new housekeeper. His prayers are answered when a girl with wild purple hair takes up his job offer. But, he never expected that this one action would be the catalyst for a series of awkward events. Will their relationship turn into more than just that of housemates?
1. Chapter 1: Housekeeper Wanted

Henry stared at the advertisement on his screen, searching the bold lettering for mistakes. The word "Housekeeper Wanted" stretched across the top in a large letters, followed by the mansion's address, a personally written description of the house, and the pay rate. It wasn't anything fancy, but it got the point across. Henry considered any other information he might want to include.

Now that Renee was gone, Henry had begun to realize just how difficult it was to keep an entire mansion clean. He was usually pretty orderly, but it seemed like the Bolet mansion attracted dust and cobwebs at an unrealistic rate. Not to mention the fact that at least once a week something needed fixed or replaced. So, after thinking it over, and consulting his bank account, Henry decided it was time he got a new housekeeper. One who didn't practice voodoo and wouldn't attempt to bury his friends alive in his uncle's grave. Also, since he couldn't really afford a high pay rate, he chose to include Renee's old room in the deal.

He didn't mind having a housemate. After all, the mansion was very big, and not many people came to visit aside from Dr. Buford and Ned. And, their visits were very few and far between. Nancy visited once this past year, but it was only due to another case she had been working on.

He gave his advert one last look over before finally submitting it. Now all he had to do was wait. And, hope whoever replied had a little more charisma and sanity than the last one.

* * *

It was several weeks before Henry got his first application. It came from an older man who was retired and looking for a way to earn a little extra cash. He seemed nice enough, but Henry was wary about him. Most adults didn't like him, for some reason, and that was especially true with anyone over the age of 60. Maybe it was because of how he dressed. All he knew was that they were always the first to pass him criticizing looks when he was out shopping. He also wasn't sure about sharing a house with someone so much older than him. He wanted someone he could somewhat relate to - perhaps befriend. Not someone who would want to parent him.

Henry saved the email, deciding to wait and see who else would be willing to take his offer.

A few more applications came in after that. One was from an older woman who asked if her daughter could also live in the house. Another came in from someone currently living halfway across the globe. Henry could tell from their email that their english was rather poor. One applicant asked if pets were allowed. Henry - still trying to find a way to get rid of all of Uncle Bruno's exotic pets - was quick to decline that one.

A month had passed before Henry finally received a more promising applicant. It was at the perfect time as well, as Henry was starting to lose hope in the whole ordeal. He clicked on the new email and read:

 _Dear Mr. Bolet,_

 _I am contacting you in regards to your want ad for a housekeeper. Through high school I had my own cleaning service, where I did housework for various homes. I have experience in more than just cleaning too, as my past jobs included restoring porches, fixing roofs, and similar work. I just graduated college and have been searching for some extra work to start paying off my tuition. If the job and room are still available, I would be more than happy to take it._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Alice Dawn_

Henry reread the email a few times. There wasn't much to it. Simple and to the point, which he appreciated. Especially after just receiving a rather long email from an applicant explaining their 'desperate need' for a place to stay in great detail. At some point it involved them being kicked out of their ex's house, being arrested for something 'they swear was just a big misunderstanding', and then recently being released from prison. Henry deleted that email without responding.

On the contrary, this Alice was exactly the type of person he was looking for. More interested in the job than in the free room. Also, they seemed to be quite the handyman - or woman he supposed. And he could recall plenty of rotting floorboards and unstable bookshelves that needed replacing in the mansion.

After a bit more thought, Henry finally wrote up a response.

 _Alice,_

 _No need for formalities. I graduated recently as well, so we are likely around the same age. You sound like just the type of person I need. How soon can you start?_

 _\- Henry_

He was surprised how quick her reply was.

 _Henry,_

 _Oh! I had assumed you were much older since you owned quite a nice mansion. I can start as soon you would like me to._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Alice Dawn_

Henry typed his reply immediately.

 _Great. Stop by the mansion tomorrow at 3:00pm. We can discuss your pay and living arrangements in full then._

This time her response took more time. After an hour or so of web-surfing and checking work emails he received Alice's reply.

 _Sounds good! Thank you!_

And then Henry closed his laptop.


	2. Chapter 2: A New Housemate

Henry paced around the parlor. He was quite anxious about meeting his potential housemate. What if she took one look at the house and left? He had done a bit of cleaning before her arrival, but it was difficult to make the mansion appear any more welcoming. With it's old furniture and dim lighting, it was no wonder why his friends joked about it being haunted. And, if the mansion didn't do it, what if his own appearance did?

He had tried his best to look a little more presentable today. Usually people avoided him because of his goth style. So, today he had chosen a much more 'normal' look. He avoided using any heavy makeup - though he felt bare without it - and minimized his number of accessories. He settled for a plain white button up shirt, and a pair of black dress pants - his usual work clothes. The only accessory he wore was his father's wedding band around his thumb. He had his mother's, but since it was too small to wear he kept it tucked away in the drawer of his bedside table. He was mindlessly rubbing his fingers across the ring's metallic surface when he heard a knock on the door.

He hurried into the hall. After briefly checking his appearance in the mirror by the front door, pushing a few stray hairs back into place, he opened the door to greet his guest.

"Hello!"

The vibrant purple hair was the first thing that caught Henry's attention. Following that was the heavily pierced ears, and then the dark makeup on the girl's smiling face. Winged eyeliner and long black lashes accentuated the girl's bright hazel eyes. Her lips were painted a maroon that matched her skirt, and a black leather jacket covered her T-shirt which had the words of a popular rock band written on it.

Well, at least she wouldn't have a problem with his fashion sense, Henry thought, silently wishing he had at least worn some eyeliner.

"Hi," Henry answered the girl's cheery greeting, "You're Alice?"

"The one and only," She answered brightly, "And you're Henry Bolet."

"Yes, I am. Please, come in. I'll give you a tour of the house."

Henry opened the door wide to let her enter. Alice walked through and allowed her gaze to wander around the entryway.

"Wow, this is a nice place you have here," She commented her eyes wide with awe.

"Not really," Henry ranswered negatively, "It's certainly seen better days."

"Still a rather nice for someone who just graduated from college," Alice replied in a humored tone.

"I suppose so," Henry shrugged, "Here, let's start upstairs, since that's where your room is."

The two walked up the creaky wooden steps.

"This place belonged to my Uncle Bruno, actually," He explained, "I inherited it only a few years ago."

"Boy, I wish I had a rich uncle willing to give me an entire house," Alice replied.

"Trust me it wasn't as great as it sounds in the beginning," Henry answered, "My uncle was terrible with finances, and having to sort through all his past dues was an absolute nightmare. Anyway, here's my room," Henry stopped in front of the first doorway, "You don't have to worry about cleaning it or anything, I am certainly able enough to do that myself. Plus, I don't really like other people touching my stuff."

"Your room: off limits, got it," Alice confirmed with a nod.

"This next room belonged to the last housekeeper and is where you will stay. It's a bit...er...let me just show you."

The two walked into Renee's room. It felt empty compared to what it had been previously since Henry had sold a lot of Renee's old stuff. Like her creepy doll and her creepy rocking chair and her creepy box of voodoo books. However, there were some things he hadn't gotten rid of yet. Like the red symbols Renee had painted on her wall.

Alice immediately turned to examine the red shapes.

"Er, feel free to paint over that," Henry offered, "My old housekeeper was rather eccentric, believed in voodoo and stuff."

"Hmm...interesting," Alice replied simply.

Henry expected Alice to be critical, but she seemed oddly unbothered by it. Personally, Renee's room always gave Henry an uneasy feeling. Like something was about to jump out at him at any moment. It's why he avoided the room as long as he could help it.

"So, I get to use the bed and everything?" Alice asked, sounding a bit hopeful.

"Absolutely. The bed, the closet, the vanity in the corner - it's all yours," Henry confirmed.

Alice smiled wide, "Awesome! I'm used to sharing a room, so this is much nicer than I anticipated."

"You don't think it's a little..." Henry hesitated, "Creepy?"

"Oh no, it's super creepy," Alice agreed lightly, "But - call me odd - I kind of like spooky stuff."

Okay so this girl was weird. But, Henry found that relieving. Better to have a fully functioning, yet semi-eccentric housemate than have one who was too weirded out by him and the house to stay longer than five minutes. Perhaps she really was the best pick. Only time could tell.

Henry showed her around the rest of the house, avoiding the secret room Nancy had discovered in the past. He didn't really feel comfortable revealing all the secrets of the house to her. Especially that one, considering it lead right into his bedroom. Since it was a nice day, he even showed her the garden - which had lost a lot of it's luster since Renee had left - and a small portion of the cemetery.

"Well, that's everything," He announced as they re-entered the library.

"This place is so cool!" Alice exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement, "I've always wanted to live in an eerie old mansion - oh, er sorry that was kind of rude."

Henry chuckled a bit, "Not at all. I'm glad you are content with the arrangements."

"When can I move in? And do you have a schedule for what you'd like me to clean and when?"

"Oh! Right," Henry reached into his back pocket and pulled out an old piece of paper, "It was the same schedule my uncle wrote up for the last housekeeper. I'll pay you every two weeks in cash, if that's alright with you."

Alice took the schedule eagerly, "That's perfect for me."

"As for when to move in, that's entirely up to you. Tomorrow would be the soonest."

"Okay!" Alice agreed. She flashed another smile.

Henry smiled back. At first he was nervous about how awkward it would be sharing a house with some complete stranger, especially a girl - since he was never very good with women - but something about this girl made him feel comfortable. Maybe it was their shared taste in fashion, or her outgoing nature. Whatever it was, he was relieved. He looked forward to getting to know her better.


	3. Chapter 3: The Library

Alice stood up and admired her work. She had just finished cleaning the fireplace, and was pleased with how clean it now looked. She looked at her hands. They were completely covered in charcoal. Her baggy T-shirt and camo pants had been decorated similarly. She wouldn't be surprised if flecks of it had decorated her face too. But, before the girl could begin washing the soot off, she heard a loud crash come from the room next door. She jumped up, startled.

"What the-?"

The girl threw the double doors to the library open. It only took a second for her to recognize what was wrong. Dozens of books littered the floor in front of one of the bookshelves. Henry was sitting in the midst of the mess appearing rather defeated.

"What happened!?" Alice asked, gawking.

"Iggy is what happened," Henry replied grimly.

"Iggy?" Alice quirked an eyebrow.

She had only been living in the Bolet mansion for a few days now, but she never recalled seeing anyone but Henry in the house. Who on earth was Iggy?

"Uncle Bruno liked to keep a lot of exotic pets around," Henry explained, "One of them is an iguana named Iggy. I've been trying to catch the little guy for years now, but he's too quick. He was sitting on the bookshelf just now when I tried to grab him, and well...I guess I got a little too eager. He knocked over half the books before the shelf broke and rest of them came crashing down."

Henry sighed as he began to clean up the mess. Alice went over to him and began picking up books as well.

"Oh you don't have to worry, I'll get them," Henry stated.

"I don't mind helping," Alice answered, "I mean, it is what you're paying me for." A humorous smile played on her lips.

"I guess I can't argue with you there," Henry replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Alice reached for one labeled "The Eye of the Beholder" not realizing that he was doing the same. Her hand lightly brushed the top of Henry's for the briefest moment. She sharpy pulled her hand back.

"Sorry!" She apologized.

"It's alright," He assured, seemingly unfazed.

Alice tried to match his expression, but she could feel her face grow a bit warm. She tried to shake off the feeling as she payed more attention to which books she was grabbing.

It didn't take long for the two to form two neat piles. Alice looked up at the bookshelf.

"I can probably fix that tomorrow," She suggested.

"That'd be great if you would," Henry seemed relieved, "I've never been very good at fixing things- Hey you've got something on your face," He interrupted himself as he pointed out a smudge of charcoal on Alice's chin.

Alice rubbed at it, but it only made the mark more prominent.

"Did I get it?" She asked.

"A little more."

She rubbed at the mark again.

"How about now?"

"There's just this tiny bit-"

Alice used her whole hand, aggressively trying to scrub it off.

"Now?"

"Well- here lemme just-"

Henry reached down and placed his hand under her chin, using his thumb to rub off the last bit.

"There. Now you're good," He announced.

"Oh, t-thank you," She stammered, surprised by the action, "I'm gonna go finish cleaning the parlor."

Alice then retreated into the other room, again trying to ignore the warmth gathering around her face.

* * *

The next day the purple haired girl got right to work on fixing the shelf that had collapsed yesterday. Securing her toolbelt around her waist she examined the damage. Fortunately, it was the type which had adjustable supports. Two of the supports on one side had broken off. All she had to do was unscrew two extra supports which weren't in use and move them to where they were needed.

Henry was in the library today too - it seemed as if he were always in the library working. She wasn't quite sure what his job was, but it had to have been one where he worked from home since he rarely ever left the house. This was also Alice's explanation for why he was so pale.

Although, there were times when he seemed to just disappear. For example, one time she saw Henry in the parlor as she was sweeping the steps. When she got to the top of the steps, however, she saw him leaving his room. Things like that made Henry seem all the more of a mystery to Alice. She really couldn't get a good read on him. Sometimes he seemed nice, like yesterday, but other times he seemed like he didn't want anything to do with her. It was all very confusing.

Alice glanced over at Henry nervously. She hated to bother him, especially while he worked, but she was in need for another hand.

"Henry, could you help me a second?" She finally asked, as she began unscrewing one of the supports.

Henry got up from his workspace and walked over to the girl. Alice was standing on top of a short step ladder, since the shelf was higher up than she could reach.

"What do you need?" He asked.

"Sorry to keep you from working, but could you hold onto these screws? It'll only take a few minutes for me to fix this, but these screws are so tiny, I feel like I'll lose them."

"Sure."

Alice relaxed at his compliance.

She handed Henry the first two screws before unscrewing the others and handing those to him as well. Once she had the first support in place she asked Henry for one of the screws. He held it up to her and she screwed it in. Then she asked for the other. Henry held it up for her, but this time she was so focused on not moving the support that she didn't look behind to grab it. She grasped at empty air for a bit. And then reached a bit too far as she turned to look. The step ladder wobbled as she continued to lean to one side until, suddenly, she lost her footing and slipped right off.

Luckily for her, Henry was right there to catch her. Unluckily, his reaction was a bit delayed, and he lost his own footing trying to catch her. The two tumbled to the ground rather ungracefully.

"Ouch," Henry groaned as he found himself now lying on his back with Alice on top of him.

It took a few moments for Alice to realize that her face was pressed into Henry's chest. Upon recovering from the shock she pushed herself onto her hands and knees.

"Oh shoot, I'm so sorry Henry!" She exclaimed. _Crap, now he'll really be mad_ , she thought.

"It's alright," He said, wincing a bit. Then he looked down and his eyes widened, "U-uh, Alice, c-could you get off of me?" He stammered, suddenly turning his gaze to the side.

"O-oh, right." Her cheeks turned pink as she realized she was still straddling Henry's body underneath her.

Alice rose to her feet. Henry got up as well and held the screw out to her.

"I believe this is yours," He commented, refusing to look at her straight on.

"Thanks," She responded, and then turned to set the step ladder back up.

Alice tried to ignore the awkward tension now hanging in the air. _Crap, I think he's mad at me now._ She thought, cursing herself for not keeping her balance. He didn't even look at her when they got back up.

What Alice didn't realize was that Henry wasn't mad at all. In fact, he was just as embarrassed as she was. However, the root of his embarrassment wasn't just due to the awkward position the two had found themselves in. Rather, it was the fact that today Alice had worn a rather loose V-neck, and when she was bent over him he could see right down her shirt. Not that he was trying to look or anything. But, it wasn't like he was trying _not_ to look either.

Henry quietly returned to his workspace, his face slowly getting redder and redder, trying to erase the image of her lacy white bra from his mind.


	4. Chapter 4: Memories

"Hey, Henry check out what I found!"

Henry heard Alice's voice echo from the room nextdoor. He got up from his own bed where he had been reading, and walked over to hear about the young woman's newest discovery.

It had now been a few months that Alice had been living with him, and she always seemed to be finding new things in the house. It made sense, Henry supposed, since she was quite thorough when cleaning. Often times it would be things he had lost a long time ago or things Uncle Bruno had hidden around the house. But, once in awhile it was something of bigger interest. One time she found a secret compartment inside the parlor. There wasn't anything too exciting inside, just a few trinkets which he sold to Zeke's and a few glass eyes which belonged to Bruno. It looked like some of Renee's voodoo stuff was in there too. The discovery was nice, but had made Henry a bit wary. He wondered if there were other things Alice had found yet hadn't mentioned to him. But, surely Alice wasn't the type to hide that sort of thing...right?

Henry walked into what used to be Renee's room. Alice had certainly brought some life to the room, and Henry didn't feel that uneasy edge every time he walked in like before. She had set up some fairy lights over her bed, and changed out the comforter. She had fixed up and repainted the vanity in the corner and set up posters of her favorite bands along the walls - though she still hadn't covered Renee's writing.

Henry looked around the room and became confused when he didn't see that familiar head of purple hair.

"Alice? You in here?"

"BOO!"

The girl leaped out from seemingly nowhere, causing Henry to let out a shout of surprise.

"Hahaha you should have seen your face!" She teased as she bent over with laughter.

"Where on earth did you come from?!" The dark haired boy exclaimed, trying to figure it out why he hadn't seen her before.

"That's what I wanted to show you!" She answered excitedly after finishing her laugh, "Look!"

The girl then pushed the closet by the door to the side. As she did so, Henry began to notice the door-sized gap in the wall, revealing a hidden room.

"Wha- how did you?"

"I lost something under the wardrobe and I couldn't reach it. So, I thought if I moved it over it would be easier. That's when I found this!"

The girl's eyes were alight with a childish excitement.

"This mansion just gets cooler and cooler the longer I stay in it!" She commented, "I haven't touched anything yet, I wanted to wait for you. But, you're here now, so let's check it out!"

She didn't wait for Henry's consent before slipping back through the narrow entrance.

Henry shook his head good naturedly before following behind her. He almost tripped upon stepping inside, as there was a slight drop into the room. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he was unsurprised to find that it was rather barren. Dusty boxes and trunks were piled on one side along with other useless items. Alice was eager to look inside the boxes but faced some difficulty.

"Damn" She cursed upon realizing the one was sealed shut.

She then began digging into the precariously piled collection of junk for something openable. Henry was about to leave while Alice aggressively tried to pry open one of the boxes with her bare hands when suddenly, with the sound of breaking wood, the box's lid flew open. The girl glanced back to flash Henry a proud grin about her accomplishment. Henry looked back at her wide-eyed. He then stepped forward to examine the contents of the box with her.

The first thing the young woman removed was a thick, leather bound book.

Alice read the cover, "The Tale of Two Brothers."

"Probably another one of uncle Bruno's bizarre bedtime stories," Henry thought aloud, taking the item from her hands.

But, to his surprise, when he read the name at the bottom, Bruno Bolet's was not the only one present. Carved messily into the leather beside Bruno was the name "Claude Bolet". The dark haired man suddenly froze, staring at the name in shock.

"A relative of yours?" Alice asked.

It was a few moments before Henry could fumble out a response, "Um, y-yeah, actually. Claude was...my dad's name."

"Really? That's pretty cool," Alice raised her eyebrows in surprise, though she was confused as to why Henry was so awed by the item.

She continued rifling through the other knicknacks that had been neatly arranged inside the box. The next thing she found was a photo of two brothers dressed in raingear, splashing through rain puddles.

"Is this your dad here?" She questioned, showing Henry the picture.

The young man tore his eyes from the book, which he had already begun mindlessly flipping through, to see what Alice was referring to. He examined the picture.

"Y-yeah, that looks like him," He agreed, taking the photo in his hands, "I wonder who this is with him."

"I have a pretty strong feeling it's Bruno," Alice stated confidently.

"How do you-?"

"It's written on the back," She interrupted humorously, pointing at the side now exposed to her, "It says: Bruno and Claude, April 25th, 1963"

Henry flipped the picture over and discovered she was right.

"Seems like this stuff all belonged to your dad," Alice announced as she picked up more items, seeing that many had Claude's name written upon them.

"Yeah, seems like it," Henry agreed softly as he picked up a dented pocket watch and brushed the dust off some old books.

"I bet he'll be pretty happy to know you found it all," She added, grinning at him.

But, Henry didn't smile back. Rather, the opposite occurred; a somber look crossed the young man's face.

"Too bad he'll never see it."

His words were practically a whisper, but Alice still caught it.

"What do you-?" She began, but was cut off.

"I'm going back downstairs," He announced abrubtly.

He tossed all the items back into the trunk. All except the dented watch, which he slipped into his own pocket.

"Please, don't touch anything else," He added, "I'd like to go through it all when I have more time. In fact, until then, please stay out of this extra room."

"Oh, alright," Alice nodded, though the confusion was clear on her face.

"Thank you."

Henry then stood up and left, leaving Alice to try and figure out why he had acted so strangely all the sudden.

* * *

The next day was beautiful. The sun was high in the sky, barely a single cloud to block its warm rays. Usually it was raining, had just rained, or was about to rain. So, both Henry and Alice were pleased to see some sunshine for once.

"Henry, let's go to the city together," Alice offered suddenly, poking her head into the library.

The dark-haired young man was surprised by her offer. He looked back at the report he was still typing up on his screen.

"I'm not sure, I have a lot of work to do..."

"Oh come on, it's a saturday and you hardly ever go outside! The sun would be good for you," Alice insisted, "I always go shopping by myself, it gets boring after awhile."

Henry glanced outside the window, "Well...it is a rather nice day."

"Exactly!" Alice brightened, "Okay, I'll get my stuff together!"

After the two had changed and gathered their things they got into Alice's car and drove to the city. Alice was a little more dressed up than usual, clearly excited to get out of the house. She wore a pair of black jeans and a camo jacket. A black bow kept her hair out of her face and the chains hanging from her belt clinked in sync with her several silver bracelets and necklaces. Meanwhile, Henry had put on a black hoodie which was longer in the back, a white tee, and black jeans. Metal accents adorned his clothes and a necklace around his neck caught the sunlight. His mother and father's rings hung from the silver chain. The pocket watch he found yesterday was also nestled comfortably inside his jean pocket.

Henry was nervous as they approached the city and parked. He disliked being stared at, and people always stared. The reason he spent most of his days inside was because of that. However, having Alice beside him helped. She was less bothered by all the odd looks.

The two had only walked for a short while when a girl stopped the two, asking for their photo.

"Absolutely!" Alice agreed before Henry could decline. One thing he disliked other than being stared at was having his picture taken.

"Okay, just stand like that. Try to look relaxed and cool," The girl directed lifting her camera.

She must have been a professional, thought Henry, as the camera in her hands looked quite expensive. Alice did as told, a slight smile playing on the edge of her lips. Henry wondered if she was used to this. He put his hands in his pockets and just stood as he usually would, unsure how to look 'relaxed and cool'. The girl's camera clicked a few times.

"Perfect! Thanks so much. You guys are a really cute couple by the way."

"O-oh! We're not-" Henry began but the girl had left before he could clarify.

He glanced at Alice and saw she was just as embarrassed as he was at the girl's compliment.

He loudly cleared his throat, "Uh, let's check out this store up here. It's one of my favorites."

Alice nodded in agreement.

The two spent a lot of time in the city, checking out any store that interested them. Henry learned quickly that Alice was not the most frugal person. The instant she saw something she liked she 'had to have it'. By the time they reached their fourth store Alice already had a large bundle of bags. Henry had only bought a few minor things, most of which he needed. Like a new phone cover and a planner. Though he did buy a nice new watch and bracelet.

They were at a small record store when Henry received another comment about Alice.

"You're girlfriend is super cute, man," The guy at the register mentioned as Henry paid for his record.

"We aren't dating," Henry explained quickly.

"Really?" The guy seemed surprised, "Man, if I knew a girl that looked like that I'd immediately snatch her up. That girl is definite wife material."

Henry looked over at Alice. She was sifting through a box of old records from across the store. Her purple hair was easy to pick out among the other shoppers. She also seemed to have struck up a conversation with a high school girl looking through the box with her. Henry wasn't surprised by that. It seemed like every store so far Alice had found herself talking to someone, whether she had initiated the conversation or someone else had. There was just something about her that made her so easy to talk to and befriend. She was always smiling and spoke so expressively. Some of the people she talked to she even ended up exchanging numbers with or following on social media. Even now Henry could see the admiration in the younger girl's eyes as Alice animatedly explained which albums were the best.

"Yeah...she's a great girl," Henry agreed quietly.

* * *

"Ooo I'm so hungry right now," Alice said, her stomach growling.

"There's an ice cream parlor right up here. Why don't we get some?" Henry offered, pointing ahead of them.

"Ahh, I don't have any cash left though," Alice grimaced as she peeked inside her wallet. She poked at a few measly nickels.

"Don't worry about it, I'll pay," Henry answered.

"Really?" Alice's expression brightened. She looked at Henry as if he had just offered to buy her a puppy.

Henry smiled, "Yeah, it's no problem."

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She celebrated.

At the parlor Alice bought a medium mint chocolate chip cone and Henry bought himself a cone of dark chocolate and strawberry. The two then walked through a small park nearby as they ate their frozen treat.

"Ooo yours sounded so good when you were ordering it," Alice commented as she eyed his cone.

"Want to try some?" Henry asked humorously. He was surprised when Alice actually took up his offer.

"Do I!"

Alice immediately leaned in and took a bite out of his ice cream before he could protest.

"Yum! Here try mine!" She held her cone out to him.

"A-alright," Henry blushed as he bent down to take a bite out of hers. The cool minty flavor made his teeth cold, "Oh, that's actually rather good."

"It's my favorite," Alice replied grinning broadly.

Henry returned her smile. Alice's smile was so infectious to him. Most of the time he wouldn't even realize he was smiling back. He wondered how someone could be so positive about...well everything. He couldn't recall a single moment where she had frowned or complained, unless it was for a comedic reason. Though, he wouldn't consider her airheaded in that sense. He had seen her serious side as well. For example, when she was doing work she always looked intensely focused.

The two took a seat on one of the park benches, overlooking a small lake.

"I'm really glad you decided to come with me today," Alice suddenly commented..

"I'm glad you forced me out of the house," Henry responded.

Alice laughed. Henry really liked Alice's laugh. It was boisterous and hearty, and almost as infectious as her smile.

"Honestly, I almost didn't ask you to come," She continued, "I was sort of expecting you to be adamant about staying home. I mean, you're usually so invested in your work, and...well we live in the same house yet somehow don't really talk much."

Henry thought about her words for a moment. Had he really come off as so unfriendly? Though, he quickly realized she was right. Usually it was Alice who would initiate conversation with him, or showing him something she found, or bringing up a problem with the house she could fix. Meanwhile, he just sat in the library or in his room working, reading, or organizing things.

"I'm sorry," He apologized feeling a bit guilty for his antisocial nature.

"Don't be!" Alice answered, "I should be the one apologizing. I'm sure my extrovertedness gets on your nerves at times."

"Not at all," Henry disagreed, "I quite like that about you."

Alice's cheeks turned pink. She tried to move the conversation forward, so to not get too flustered.

"You were so stiff when that girl took our picture earlier. I was trying not to laugh to be quite honest," She teased.

"Er, yeah I never look good in pictures. I just don't like when people are focused on me."

"Really? Then why do you dress so..."

"Goth? Punk?" Henry filled in the word for her, "I don't know, it's just what I feel comfortable in. When I was younger it was my way of 'rebelling' I suppose, but then it ended up sticking with me past high school and into college. Sure, I don't enjoy being scrutinized for what I wear, but any other style just feels foreign to me."

"That's admirable that you wear what you like even though others may not approve," Alice answered.

Henry felt he didn't deserve such high praise.

"I wish I were more confident in myself like you," He replied, "You are so outgoing and friendly. It really amazes me how you can just strike up a conversation with someone so easily."

Alice smiled.

"Thank you! I do really enjoy meeting new people. But, being friendly isn't worth anything if you don't take time to really invest in those new relationships."

"I suppose that's true," Henry agreed.

"But, enough flattery," Alice said, "Henry, I've now lived in the same house as you for two months, and yet I feel like I don't know anything about you. Tell me about your family."

Henry hesitated, and that somber look crossed his face again. Alice suddenly felt like she had said something wrong. She had asked him in a lighthearted manner, not thinking it would cause him to bottle up so quickly.

"Well..." He began at last, "My parents died in a car crash when I was eight."

 _Damn. Way to go Alice._

"Oh, crap I'm sorry-"

"Don't be," Henry shook his head, "It was a long time ago."

"That doesn't always mean it shouldn't bother you anymore," Alice replied, "The idea that 'time heals all wounds' isn't always as true as we'd like to think."

"Yeah..." Henry trailed off, staring at the napkin left in his hand now that he had finished his ice cream. Alice had finished hers long before him. After a few quiet moments he continued, "After my parents passed away I started living with my Uncle Bruno. My relationship with him was," Henry paused to think of the best wording, "...complicated. For a while I thought he wanted nothing to do with me, after all he sent me off to boarding school, military school, and eventually college. But, after a series of rather bizarre events, I learned that he just wanted what was best for me. He just wasn't so good at expressing how he really felt. I guess we were pretty similar that way."

"A series of bizarre events?" Alice repeated, her eyes alight with sudden interest.

"It's a long story," Henry let out a breath of laughter.

"I've got time."

Henry looked at her. She looked back at him eagerly.

"Well...It all started when I got a call from this friend of mine, Ned Nickerson..."


	5. Chapter 5: Watered Down

Alice balanced on her tiptoes, growing increasingly frustrated with her current task. Her fingers just barely brushed the book labeled "Hoodoo Signs & Symbols". The book had caught her eye yesterday as she was dusting the shelves. She had been curious about those funny shapes on her bedroom wall for a while, and wondered if the book would help her decipher them.

She stretched as far as she could for the item. It was right there, just barely out of her reach. Just a little further and...

Suddenly a hand appeared above her and pulled the book from it's spot with ease. Alice tilted her head back and saw Henry standing over her. He offered the item to her.

"This what you were looking for?" He asked.

"Yeah! Thanks, Henry."

Alice accepted the book and looked up at Henry. It sometimes surprised her when she remembered how tall he was compared to her. Usually he was either sitting down or she was wearing heeled shoes, so it wasn't as noticeable. But, in moments like this, when she was shoeless and he was standing right in front of her, she became keenly aware of the gap between them. Sure it wasn't a majorly huge difference, after all she was a bit over average height herself, but it was still significant.

"Hoodoo, huh?" Henry commented, looking at the book in Alice's hands a bit critically.

"Yeah, I love learning about stuff like this," Alice replied, "Don't worry though, I won't turn into your last housekeeper. I don't believe in the stuff, I just like to read about it."

"Just don't start writing weird things on walls and stuff," He half joked.

Alice chuckled, "I promise."

"Groovy."

Henry then returned to his workspace in the corner. Alice watched him walk away and then headed out into the cemetery with her book.

Alice loved to read in the cemetery. Something about the atmosphere was peaceful to her. She told Henry that once and he gave her an odd look. "And people think I'm weird," was his sarcastic response.

Today she decided to sit by the bayou today. There was a collection of usually dry rocks that sat along the edge of the water there. Settling on one of the bigger ones she opened the book and read.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she began to feel the first few drops of rain. She sighed, that was always the one setback of reading outside. Why did it rain so much here? Tagging the page she was on, she closed the book and began her trek back to the mansion. By now she knew the routes through the cemetery pretty well, but that didn't stop her from getting lost from time to time. She must have taken a wrong turn at some point, she realized, because she had found herself in front of the gateway to Terra Siesta instead of the gate to the mansion. Unfortunately, the slight drizzle was quickly progressing into a heavy downpour. By the time she finally found her way back she was completely drenched.

She trudged through the garden, and entered through a door on the side of the mansion that lead right to the bathroom. A nice hot shower sounded really nice to her at the moment.

* * *

Henry stretched at his computer and yawned. He checked the time. It was 6pm. He looked outside the library doors and watched the rain fall heavily. He hadn't seen Alice return yet, and it was beginning to get dark. He wondered if she got caught in the rain. It wouldn't be the first time. He drummed his hands on his desk. Should he go look for her? It looked pretty nasty out. Then again, what if she wasn't out there? Then he would be the one caught in the rain. The cemetery could be a bit of a maze, but surely she knew her way back by now. Plus, if he left and she came back she might think that he got lost in the rain, and go back to look for him. He decided it was better if he just waited.

He ran a hand through his hair. Ugh it was really greasy. He needed a shower. He looked out the window again, and then scribbled a note on his desk.

 _Alice,_

 _Taking a shower. Don't run any hot water._

 _\- Henry_

He then went up to his room, grabbed a towel and his pajamas and went into the bathroom on the other side of the house.

The feel of the hot water felt nice against his skin. It didn't take him very long to wash his hair and body. Once he was done he gave a content sigh. That shower was exactly what he needed. He turned off the water and slid open the shower curtain.

At that same exact moment, Alice had reached the bathroom. And, not hearing the water running, and thinking the light had been left on, she opened the bathroom door which Henry had forgotten to lock.

Alice froze when she saw Henry exiting the shower. His body was completely bare, and only a towel - which he had just picked up at that moment - kept Alice from seeing...well everything. She was so shocked, it took several moments before her brain fully processed what she was seeing. Once it finally did her face turned as red as a tomato, and so did Henry's.

"I'm sorry!" Alice squeaked, and then quickly slammed the door.

Alice walked very quickly out into the hallway, up the staircase, into her room, and then sharply shut the door behind her. She sunk to the floor, her face almost too red to bear and her mind replaying the same moment over and over in her head.

"Oh my god, oh my god, OH MY GOD."

Alice pressed her hands to her head as if it would make the image go away.

"Did that really just happen?! That did not just happen," She told herself shaking her head.

Alice didn't know what she was feeling. Her head was spinning. The only thing that kept popping into her brain was "Wow, Henry has a really nice body." Followed by "Why on earth do I feel so turned on right now?!" I mean what girl wouldn't be turned on after seeing a naked, well built man, exiting the shower? Right?

And good god was Henry built. Like really built. It sort of made sense to her, he did mention going to military school in the past. But all he did was sit around! How could he possibly have a body like... _that_. And she couldn't even think about how the droplets of water slid from his disheveled black hair, trailing down his broad chest, past his muscular thighs and-

"AGH stop! Stop! Stop!" Alice smacked her cheeks, trying to get her mind out of the gutter, "Oh god, I can never look at him again. I'm done for! He's gonna fire me for sure! And then what do I do? And we were just getting on good terms too. Oh god, what am I gonna do?"


	6. Chapter 6: Invitation

It took a few days before Henry could look Alice in the eye again. Although, Alice had distanced herself from him a bit as well after the incident. It was some time before the two could even stand to be in the same room together. It was a few days after the event when Alice finally mustered up the courage to bring it up again

"H-hey, Henry?" She asked, approaching his desk.

Henry spun to face her.

"Need something?"

Alice could already feel her face heating up.

"Look about that one time...with the shower."

Henry's face turned bright red.

"O-o-oh? Right, w-wh-what about it?"

"I just wanted to apologize for it, I swear I wasn't trying to be some pervert or anything! It was all pure accident. I didn't even see much! I mean I saw you naked but, uh, well, I mean your lower half was covered so I didn't...I didn't...I didn't" Alice flusteredly tried to go on.

"Alice it's fine," Henry finally cut in, his face as red as hers.

"R-really?"

"Y-yes, let's just put it behind us."

Alice felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"Thank you so much, Henry, I swear I'll be more cautious from now on."

"It's no problem."

Alice then left the room feeling like a huge weight had just been taken off her shoulders. For a while she was terrified her job was at risk. But, Henry was understanding. Thank god Henry was understanding.

* * *

Henry was enjoying a day off when he suddenly got a call. He was surprised to see Ned's face pop up on his screen. After Uncle Bruno died, Ned would regularly check up on Henry to make sure he was doing alright. But, lately they hadn't talked much.

Henry answered the phone.

"Hey, Henry, how are you doing?" Ned's cheerful voice asked.

"Pretty good, Ned. I'm surprised you called though," Henry replied.

"I know, I've been busy since college started up again," Ned answered apologetically.

"You're a senior this year, aren't you?" Henry asked.

"Yep! Boy, how time flies."

"Is Nancy in college now too?"

Ned sighed. Henry had the daunting feeling he had just opened a can of worms.

"No, she isn't. Originally she wanted to apply to Emerson and major in criminal justice, but...well you know her. She always has a mystery on her hands. Honestly, with how much recognition she's received by now, I doubt she even needs a degree. She's even upgraded her title to 'senior detective'."

"That's gotta be tough on you," Henry sympathized.

"Well I'm used to it. She has been more considerate lately though. We had a big fight a while back when she took off to Germany. After that she's been adding more time into her schedule to spend with me. But, enough about my love life. What about you? You...aren't still with that one girl are you?" Ned sounded cautious in adding that last part.

"You mean Summer?" Henry verified. He sighed, now it was his can of worms to open up, "We...aren't together anymore."

"Oh! That's great! Or well, I mean...that is a good thing right?"

"Yeah, it is a good thing," Henry confirmed, "Nancy was actually the one who encouraged me to break up with her. She and I talked a little about it when she was staying here. Anyway, it took a while for me to work up the guts to do it, and the breakup did _not_ go smoothly. And, it did take me a while to get over it. But, truthfully, I feel better now that we aren't together...more like myself. And, my bank account is much happier as well. It does get kind of lonely here though."

"That's good to hear. And I know you'll meet someone who is a hundred times a better girlfriend than Summer ever was."

Henry scoffed, "Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath."

"Oh c'mon Henry, surely there's some girl in your life?"

Henry hesitated. Alice's face suddenly popped in his mind, but he was quick to push the thought away.

"Nah, there's nobody. Most girls think I'm too weird."

"Maybe you're just looking for the wrong girl. You know, Nancy had this one mystery at a girls' boarding school not too long ago. She told me about meeting this one goth chick named...what was it...Mel Corbalis? Maybe Nancy could set you two up."

"Er, I don't know Ned, I'm not much for blind dates."

"Hey, that's what the internet is for! Who goes on genuine blind dates now anyways?"

Henry rolled his eyes, "I'll think about it."

"Hey man, Halloween is coming up, right?" Ned suddenly asked after a pause.

"Yeah it's next week," Henry confirmed.

Usually he wasn't too big on holidays, especially Halloween, which is apparently surprising to most of his friends. But, it was hard to ignore all the halloween decorations he had seen throughout the neighborhood. Plus, Alice had begun dressing in lots of purples and oranges as well as wearing a lot of Halloween themed clothing lately.

"You should host a Halloween party!" Ned exclaimed, "I know tons of people who would come. Plus your house is the perfect place for that type of stuff."

"Ned, you know I'm not much of a partier nor a very good host for one," Henry replied knowingly.

"Oh, c'mon! It's the perfect way to meet somebody new! And it'll be good to step out of your comfort zone every now and then."

Henry thought hard for an excuse. He didn't want to outright refuse Ned's offer, but he certainly wasn't keen on the idea.

"Well, I have this new housekeeper, and I don't want to just have a party without asking her first."

"Well then ask her! Maybe she'll help set up for it!"

"Ned I really don't think-"

"Ned who are you talking to?" Henry heard another voice ask from Ned's side. It sounded like Nancy.

"I'm talking to Henry Bolet!" Ned answered.

"Really? How is he?"

"He's great! He's thinking of having a Halloween party this weekend!"

"Wait, hold on Ned-" Henry tried but the second voice interrupted.

"That's great news! Bess, George, and I have been trying to plan something for Halloween for awhile."

"Great! Did you hear that Henry?"

"Yeah I heard," Henry answered growing a bit frustrated, "But Ned I really don't think-"

"Awesome! Hey don't worry about food or drinks either, we can provide those. Nancy and I will build up a guest list for you too! Of course, if you have any people in mind you can invite them yourself. Anyway, I gotta go. Nancy and I are going to see a movie tonight. See ya soon!"

"Wait! Ned-!"

The call disconnected before Henry could protest any further. Henry sighed. How on earth did he get himself into this?

The sound of the door opening alerted him that Alice had returned.

"Henry, are you here?" She called out from the entrance.

"In the library!" He answered.

The girl entered the room with her arms full of groceries.

"We needed milk and some other stuff so I went to the store. What's up with you? You look like you just heard some awful news."

"Alice, how do you feel about hosting a Halloween party here?"

Alice's expression immediately lit up, "We're hosting a Halloween party?!"

"Well-"

"That's awesome news!" Alice celebrated, "I was actually kind of hoping we might. But then I thought, maybe not because I wasn't sure if you were into that stuff. Oh my gosh I'll buy decorations right now! Ohh this is so exciting!"

Before Henry could say anything else Alice had dumped the groceries on the ground and raced out the door.

Henry hung his head in defeat. Well, there was no point stopping it now.


	7. Chapter 7: Party Time

The days leading up to the party were a blur. Alice cleaned excessively throughout the week and had bought tons of decorations. She had even brought in a smoke machine, claiming to have found it in her parent's attic. Henry busied himself with making sure the locks on his bedroom door worked, and putting away things he didn't want anyone touching or tampering with. One of them was the picture of his parents that hung in the parlor, which was also a way to keep people from finding the secret passageway into his room.

The day before the party Nancy, Bess, George, and Ned arrived toting plenty of snacks, drinks, minor decorations and party games.

"Wow, Henry, you really went all out for this party, didn't you?" Ned commented, looking at the many paper bats and cats strewn along the ceilings as well as the plastic jack o'lanterns that decorated the floor.

"It wasn't me," Henry answered quickly.

"It was me!" Alice exclaimed cheerfully bounding into the hallway, her arms were full of purple and orange streamers.

"I'm Alice," She introduced herself, "Current resident housekeeper slash handy-woman. Nice to meet you all."

The group seemed a bit surprised by the girl's get up. A tall black witch's hat sat on her head and a matching cape was draped around her shoulders. Her purple skirt was decorated with black cats, and her pantyhose were designed to look like spiderwebs. The only one unfazed was Nancy. She had seen people in far more unusual clothing.

"Hi, I'm Nancy Drew," The detective introduced, "This is my boyfriend Ned, and my friends Bess and George."

"I love your skirt," Bess complimented.

"Thanks, I like your necklace," Alice returned.

Bess grinned, touching the bat-shaped jewelry, "Thanks! I got it at that store by Rampart and Dumaine."

"Ohh, Madame Belfreys? I love that place!"

"Me too!"

The two began chattering away at their shared love for fashion. Alice lead her into the library to help blow up ballloons.

"Well, I'm gonna set up snacks," George announced.

"I'll help," Nancy offered. The two headed for the kitchen.

Henry looked at Ned, who was giving him a funny look.

"What?"

"You didn't mention that your housekeeper was the same age as you," Ned stated, raising an eyebrow.

"It never came up," Henry answered simply.

"You also avoided mentioning that she was quite cute."

A pink tinge colored Henry's face, "Ned, please tell me you aren't suggesting-"

"Of course I am!" Ned interrupted, "Henry, that girl Alice is a perfect match for you! I can already tell! Right down to the heavy eyeliner and sense of fashion."

"I don't know. Alice is so outgoing and I'm so...not."

"But you don't deny that you are even slightly attracted to her?"

Henry hesitated. It would be a lie for him to say he didn't find Alice attractive. He had always thought that she was rather pretty, and her kind and carefree personality had certainly grown on him. She was full of surprises, but he liked that. Plus, she was one of the few girls, let alone people, he felt comfortable around.

But...there was no way she'd date a guy like him.

Aside from her being way out of his league there was all those past...accidents. Like the time she walked in on him in the bathroom, which he still hadn't lived down. Also the time he had accidentally seen down her shirt...God it seemed awkward moments like that plagued him. She probably thought he was a total pervert by now.

"I don't think a girl like Alice would ever even consider someone like me," Henry stated assuredly, "Besides, if I asked her out and she said no? It would be awful having to continue living in the same house after that."

"You think too lowly of yourself Henry. You're a much better person than you give yourself credit for," Ned insisted, "But, I won't pressure you on the matter. Hey, maybe you'll meet someone more your speed at the party instead!"

"Yeah," Henry nodded absentmindedly, "Maybe."

* * *

"Don't you think a vampire is kind of...generic?" Henry asked Ned as he fussed with his black cape.

"I think it suits you," Bess commented as she touched up her makeup in the hallway mirror.

"Bess!" George protested.

"What? It's a compliment!"

"Telling someone that a blood-sucking, lifeless monster 'suits them' is not a compliment," George scolded, "Also, what on earth are you supposed to be? Frankenstein's niece?"

Bess frowned at her cousin, "I'm a zombie from the forties!" She explained modeling her outfit which consisted of a torn up pink poodle skirt and blouse. Her face was covered in lots of green and grey makeup.

George raised an eyebrow.

"Don't give me that look. At least it's more creative than being a soccer player for the fourth year in a row."

"Hey, why waste money on something new when you can just wear something you already own?" George answered.

Bess rolled her eyes.

"C'mon you two, don't fight so much. The guests will be arriving soon," Nancy stated walking into the room. She had on a tweed hat and cape with her old magnifying glass in hand. Ned came out behind her, dressed in a similar fashion.

"Oooh! You two look so cute!" Bess exclaimed.

"Figures you two would dress up as Sherlock and Watson," George added.

"Who's who?" Bess asked.

"Nancy's Sherlock and I'm Watson of course," Ned answered. He seemed rather pleased with the idea.

"It was Ned's idea," Nancy announced, also seeming very chipper about their choice.

"Wow everyone looks awesome!" Alice's announced as she stepped into the room as well.

She was dressed in black pants, black boots, and a black zip-up hoodie with cat ears on the top. A black mask covered her eyes, and she had a black utility belt strapped around her waist.

"Ooo nice cat woman costume," Bess complimented.

"Thanks! I put it together myself. Sew the ears on and everything."

"It suits you," Henry added with a smile.

Alice smiled back, "Thanks."

"Why is it a compliment when he says it?" Bess complained, but George shushed her.

There was a knock at the door.

"Our first guests! Yes!" Alice rushed to answer it.

* * *

It didn't take long before the Bolet mansion was filled with people. Henry wondered if Nancy and Ned had invited all of River Heights with how many guests had come. He recognized only a handful of faces, and there were tons of people he didn't know. Music pulsed from Bess's sound system. Alice had made the playlist, and it had a good mixture of pop, rock, and old hits, as well as a few goofy Halloween songs like 'Monster Mash' mixed in.

At some point Henry found himself standing alone in a corner of the hallway, avoiding the claustrophobic parlor and library. Originally he had been in the garden, but even that had become crammed with people. There were a lot of groups walking through the cemetery as well.

"Hey, Henry! What do you think of the party?" Ned asked as he exited the library.

"Crowded," Henry replied.

"Have you talked to any girls yet?"

Henry didn't respond.

"C'mon man! You gotta put yourself out there! Here, take this."

Ned handed Henry his cup. Henry sniffed the substance.

"What is that? Bud light?" Henry grimaced.

"Don't be picky, just drink!" Ned insisted, pushing it into Henry's hands.

Henry shrugged. He wasn't much of a drinker. But, he wasn't gonna refuse some free alcohol.

"Wait a second, aren't there underage college students here?" Henry suddenly asked.

"Don't worry," Ned assured, "I got my man Burt on patrol. Any underage kid he sees drinking, he swats it right out of their hands."

Henry doubted how effective that method was, but whatever. As long as no one did anything stupid.

It was a few cups before Henry finally started to feel the buzz. He had lost track of how many cups he had downed after the first few hours. But, he was starting to grow more bold with Ned's suggestions.

"See that girl over there? That's Samantha. Go talk to her."

Henry looked at where Ned was pointing. The girl had straight brunnette hair pinned back with a yellow bow and wore a black and yellow batgirl costume. Henry thought that she was very cute.

"Okay," Henry agreed. He took a deep breath, handed Ned his empty cup, and then walked up to Samantha.

"Hey," Henry started.

The girl looked up at him, "Oh, hi…?"

"Henry."

"Samantha," She replied.

"You're batgirl right?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, and you're…a vampire?"

"Yep."

Boy was this conversation riveting, Henry thought sarcastically. He tried to think of a more interesting topic.

"So, you like….movies?"

Before Samantha could answer Henry's oh-so-brilliant question, someone called Henry's name.

"Henry? Is that you?"

Henry froze.

He'd recognize that voice anywhere. It was the same voice who insisted on gift after gift over the phone. The same voice that would ask him to tell it how much he loved it each night. The same voice who he used to love to hear each day, but now cut him to his very core.

He turned to see a familiar woman looking back at him. Her lips and nails were painted red, and her straight blonde hair fell around her shoulders. Her chocolate brown eyes were narrow and her lightly tanned face had just the perfect amount of makeup. Henry tried not to gawk as he saw what she was wearing. The top of her tight white nurses outfit was unbuttoned, enough that when she moved he could barely see her red bra peek out from underneath. She wore tall red heels and striped red pantyhose. She walked - or more sauntered - over to Henry a seductive smile on her face.

"Henry Bolet. It's been a while hasn't it?" She stated. She had a sweet voice - sickeningly so to Henry - and it had the slightest southern drawl in it.

Henry stumbled for a reply, "O-oh. Uh...h-hi Summer."

"I hear you officially own this mansion now?"

"Yeah," Henry looked to the side, finding Summer's cleavage to be quite distracting. Summer seemed to prefer it that way, as she continued to move closer and closer to him. As she did, it only made Henry back up more and more.

"We should really catch up," Summer suggested, "Why don't you get me something to drink?"

"O-okay," Henry agreed without a second thought. He needed to get out of here.

Without another word he rushed into the parlor where the drinks were. It wasn't until he got to the coolers that he realized how much he was sweating.

 _What on earth was Summer doing here?!_ Henry thought. Last he heard she said she was moving to Alabama, so why the heck was she in New Orleans of all places? Had someone invited her to the party? Surely it couldn't have been Ned or Nancy. But, how else would she have known?

"Henry? You okay? You look like you just saw a ghost," Alice's voice cut into the trail of questions running through Henry's mind.

"Huh? Oh I don't know. I'm fine. Do you know where Ned is?" Alice could hear a slight desperation in Henry's voice.

"No..I haven't," She answered slowly, "Are you sure you're alright? Did you have too much to drink?"

"No I'm okay. Just...I gotta talk to Ned."

"Why?" Alice was beginning to get worried. She had never seen Henry act so oddly.

"Summer's here," was all he said.

"Uh...what? It's the end of October, Henry."

"No no, my ex-girlfriend - Summer - is here," He clarified.

"You're...ex girlfriend?"

"She's crazy," Henry added, speaking very quickly, "I think she's trying to get back with me, and just being near her- oh God I know I'm gonna do something stupid if I'm around her for too long."

"She can't be that bad."

"You have no idea," Henry buried his head in his hands. _Why now of all times?_ "I need to find Ned."

"Well...maybe I can help you somehow," Alice offered.

"How?" Henry looked at her, a bit of hope in his eyes.

Alice bit her lip and thought hard. One idea came to mind, but she was hesitant

"Please if you have any idea - any way to help, I am more than willing," Henry begged. He was too drunk to care about how desperate he appeared at the moment. He just did not want Summer convince him to do something he would regret.

"Well...maybe if..." Alice's face grew a little red at the thought, "Maybe if I pretended I was your girlfriend she would back off a bit."

"You...would do that?"

"Only if you want me to," Alice quickly added.

"That...that could work," Henry thought a moment, "Yeah. Okay, deal. You pretend you're my girlfriend for the night. Do whatever you think is necessary to keep Summer off of me."

"Deal," Alice nodded in agreement.

Right on cue Summer's voice echoed from nearby, "Henry~!"

Henry spun around to see her puffing her red lips in a pout.

"What is taking you so long?" She asked, "I thought you left me behind."

"I-I was only gone for a few minutes," Henry answered looking to the side.

"It felt like forever," Summer complained. She placed one hand on his chest and the other on his arm playfully. Henry squirmed at the action.

"Uhh, Summer look I gotta-"

"Henry, I really have missed you lately" Summer cut over him.

She began to move a little closer. Her hands slid up his body until they were wrapped around his neck. Henry's face felt very hot. He grabbed her hands and tried to remove them, but she then just slipped them behind his back. She pulled his hips against hers. His face became even redder.

"We should dance," Summer suggested, her face so close to his that their noses nearly touched.

"I'm sorry, just who do you think you are?" Alice sharply cut in, not wanting to see this event unfold any further.

Summer looked at Alice in surprise, as if she had just realized she was there. She replied lightly, "Summer Dulane. And you are...?"

"Alice Dawn. I'm Henry's girlfriend," Alice replied coldly.

Summer's eyes widened in shock for a brief moment. But, she quickly recovered, her expression turning apologetic.

"Oh! I am so sorry, I didn't realize Henry had a new... _girl_."

Summer emphasized the word 'girl' like it was intended to be an insult.

"If you were really sorry you would let go of my boyfriend," Alice returned, not buying Summer's innocent facade.

"Oh! My bad, sometimes I just can't help myself," Summer removed her hands from Henry's waist. Alice immediately saw Henry relax a bit, "You know, it is rather odd. I was just talking to that fella...Ned Nickerson? about you. And he never mentioned anything about you having a new girlfriend, Henry."

Henry began to sweat. Had Summer already see through their charade?

"Well, we did just start dating," Alice quickly lied, "We haven't really told everyone yet."

"Y-yeah," Henry agreed, "We didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"Hm. I see," Summer replied her eyes narrowing, "Well, I suppose I'll leave you two love birds alone then," She smiled in a way that looked innocent to the average viewer, but appeared more like a smirk to Alice, "Tah tah."

As she walked away she lightly grazed her hand along Henry's shoulder. Henry shivered at her touch.

"Wow, she's good," Alice said once Summer had left, "Really good."

"I don't think she fully bought it," Henry stated looking nervous.

"Well then we'll make her buy it," Alice replied confidently.

"How?"

"Well, first of all..."


	8. Chapter 8: Keep Up The Charade

"Are you sure about this?" Alice asked.

"Anything you have to do to get that witch out of my hair is okay with me," Henry answered. Though in truth he was feeling very nervous. The effects of his earlier drinks was beginning to wear off, and his stress levels were skyrocketing.

The two were sitting on the couch in the parlor together as other guests danced around the room. Alice had chosen the location due to how offset it was from the crowd. Meaning the ones standing up and partying wouldn't pay them much mind. But, if someone came looking for them - like a certain southern-sounding blonde - they would be able to spot the two. Alice scooted close to Henry until their legs touched. She then lightly placed her hand on his knee. Henry stiffened.

"Henry, you need to relax," She urged him with a frown, "I've hardly done anything yet.

"Sorry! Sorry!" He apologized, "I'm just...not really used to this kind of stuff."

"Well you better start, because if Summer walks in and sees us sitting on the opposite ends of the couch, she's gonna see right through our act. We gotta make her think we really are a gross, lovey-dovey couple."

"W-why can't we just play the reserved, friendly couple?" Henry suggested flusteredly.

"No," Alice sharply refused, "Because even if Summer does buy it, she'll still think she has a chance to separate us. Trust me, I've met tons of girls like her. Some of them are my friends, and they know how to get the guy they want."

"You're friends with people like her?" Henry looked mortified.

"Like her, not the same as," Alice clarified. Henry tried to think of how that was any different.

"Okay, now relax and actually look at me," Alice directed.

Henry took a deep breath and then did as instructed.

"Wow, your eyes are really vibrant," He commented thoughtlessly.

Alice smiled, "Perfect! Keep saying things like that, but more...hmm...more sexy."

Henry blushed. The last thing he knew how to be was sexy. But, he tried nonetheless. He cleared his throat.

"Wow. You're eyes are so...vibrant," He repeated more slowly, his voice lower and smoother than before. Alice was a bit taken aback. He really did sound sexier that way.

Alice leaned in until their faces were only an inch apart. She laughed, but not loud and boisterously like Henry was used to. This time it was softer, muffled behind her closed lips. It reminded him of how Summer would laugh. Henry tried not to appear too nervous, but he could already tell how much his hands were sweating.

Henry searched for something else to comment on, but he was transfixed on Alice's eyes. Were they always that color? They were such a bright hazel, they almost looked golden. She wasn't wearing her mask either, so now he could really look at them. Her eyelashes were so long too. They nearly brushed her cheeks when she blinked. His eyes went down to her lips which were curved into a slight smile.

"You...you have good lips."

Alice snorted, then suddenly burst into full out laughter.

"Really? That's the best you could come up with?" She asked, still snickering.

Henry's face reddened, "I told you I'm not good at this stuff!"

"Okay, okay. Here I'll lead this time."

Alice took a breath and regained her composure. She placed her hand back on Henry's knee. Henry tried not to stiffen as much this time. Then, Alice slid her hand up to the top of Henry's thigh, causing his breath to hitch slightly.

"You're blushing," She commented, her sweet smile melting into a smirk.

"I-It's just really hot in here," He answered nervously.

Alice blew against Henry's neck and he shivered. Was it possible to be both hot and cold at the same time?

She then lifted her mouth to his ear and whispered softly. Henry was glad he was sitting, because his knees went weak as she spoke in a lithe voice.

"Summer's here," She muttered.

Henry's attention shot over to the other side of the room. Summer _was_ here, and she was looking right at him. She also looked very angry.

"Don't break character," Alice hissed in his ear.

What character? Oh right, he was supposed to be Alice's boyfriend. How was he supposed to do that again? Alice noticed Henry starting to panic, and began directing his motions.

"Put your left hand on my thigh," She whispered. Henry did as told, he hoped she couldn't tell how sweaty his hands were.

"Good. Now put your other arm around me."

Henry had to shift around a bit to get the proper positioning. Finally he hand his right arm resting around her shoulders.

"Keep looking at me," She said pulling away from his ear and placing one hand on his cheek so he didn't look away.

"O-okay," He nodded in agreement. He stared straight at her; straight into her golden eyes.

Then Alice leaned in again till her mouth met his collar bone. And then - ever so lightly - she began to brush her lips up along his neck. Henry trembled under her touch. Any thought of Summer suddenly vanished from his mind. He felt her one hand slide up his chest. She slipped it under the open, top part of his shirt, and her fingers felt cool against his skin. If he wasn't overwhelmed before he certainly was now. He tried to focus on leveling his breathing as Alice rubbed her thumb along his collar bone.

As Henry became distracted, Alice peeked over at Summer and saw her eyes narrowed into slits. Alice felt a little bit smug and took her actions just one step further. She kissed Henry's neck. His breath hitched a second time. She tried not to think about what she was doing. Instead she focused on the anger increasing on Summer's face. Then, she parted her lips, and pressed her tongue against his neck. Henry gasped and a soft moan escaped his lips. Alice blushed at the sound, but didn't stop. She continued to place o-shaped kisses with her mouth and tongue along his neck. Henry bit his lip, trying to suppress his gasps. All the while Alice lightly traced her fingers up and down his thigh. Finally, she saw Summer - with gritted teeth and clenched fists - turn sharply on her heel and leave.

As soon as she was gone, Alice removed both her hands and backed away from Henry.

"She's gone now," Alice stated, nodding towards where Summer had been.

"Oh, o-okay," Henry stammered. His face was an incredible shade of red and covered his mouth as he tried to mask his heavy breathing. He was glad he was wearing a longer shirt too, as it covered his aroused lower half.

"I'm gonna go get some water, real quick," Alice announced.

"Y-yeah, good idea."

Alice then stood up and left the room.

Henry took a deep breath and exhaled. He pressed his hands to his face and felt it burn against his hands. He could still sense the shadow of Alice's touch on his chest and the wetness of her tongue on his neck. He used the collar of his cape to wipe away the saliva, and embarrassedly hoped no one other than Summer had just saw what happened.

* * *

Alice had hardly gotten to the library when her face exploded with heat.

 _Oh, God what am I doing?_ She thought. Maybe she had gone a bit too far back there. Maybe this was a terrible idea.

But, she promised Henry she'd help. And, in all truth, feeling him tremble under her fingertips and gasp at her kisses wasn't exactly something she disliked. Though, she kept that fact hidden in the corner of her mind. All she knew was that she didn't want that seductress Summer anywhere near him.

Alice walked into the library and searched one of the coolers for a water. When she straightened back up she nearly bumped into the guy behind her.

"Oops! I'm sorry," She apologized.

The guy was wearing a black leather jacket with his black hair slicked back. A pair of shades hung from the collar of his white T-shirt.

"It's okay," He answered, "Love the costume. I don't think cat woman had purple hair, though."

Alice chuckled, hoping her face wasn't as red as it felt from earlier, "Yeah I guess she didn't. I went for a personal take on the character instead."

"Creative. Nice," He flashed a smile.

"Thank you."

"I'm Derek by the way."

"Alice."

"Oh, like Alice in Wonderland?"

Alice smiled a little, "I like to think so."

"Hey, why don't I get you a drink?" He offered still grinning.

Alice held up her water bottle politely, "No need, I've already got one."

"No, no I insist! I'll grab you a beer."

Alice's smile tightened, "No. Really, I'm fine," She repeated.

"Aw, c'mon have a little fun."

Alice tightened her grip on the bottle of water. She could already see where this was headed.

"I really don't want any-"

But, he didn't listen. Derek grabbed a can of beer from one of the ice bins and popped it open for her. He almost had to shove it into her hands.

"Drink up! This stuff is better than that bud light crap."

Alice looked at the can. She didn't like beer. She didn't really like alcohol in general, actually. She would have some wine every now and then, but that was it.

She lifted the metallic lid to her lips. The smell alone was enough to make her sick. She pretended to take a sip and then feigned a smile for Derek.

"Good right?" He asked.

"Delicious," Alice lied, "Well, I need to go."

"Already? Why not stay with me for a bit," Derek offered. He moved in a little closer. Alice stepped back in response.

"No, actually my boyfriend is waiting for me," Alice insisted. She hated to draw the boyfriend card, but she was getting a really bad feeling about this guy.

"O-oh, who is he?" Derek asked.

"His name is Henry. Henry Bolet," Alice replied confidently.

Derek raised an eyebrow his bright tone suddenly became a bit criticizing, "Henry Bolet? Don't tell me you actually like that guy."

"U-uh, I'm sorry, what?"

"The guys a freak," Derek explained, lowering his voice as if Henry himself would hear, "You could do way better."

"Oh and I assume you are that 'better' option?" Alice answered sharply. Before Derek could reply Alice continued, "I'm sorry, Derek, but I just realized that I'm not desperate enough to get with you, nor are you lucky enough for me to give it a second thought. And no amount of alcohol is going to change that. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Alice pushed the full can of beer into Derek's hands. His mouth hung open in shock.

She then spun around and went back into the parlor and searched for Henry. Only she couldn't find him. She searched the crammed room, pushing through sweaty, gyrating bodies, looking for the familiar head of slicked back black hair. It took some time before she concluded that he had left.

Alice briskly walked through the hallway, still searching. She went through the library again, brushing right past Derek without a word, and out into the backyard. The cool night air was refreshing against her face. The sound of chatter filled the garden. Alice scanned the area. The first thing she spotted was a few drunk guys trying to cram themselves into the empty fountain. It seemed like their aim was to find out how many they could fit inside it, while a very nervous Ned Nickerson tried to get them out.

"C'mon guys, that thing is ancient. It could break at any moment!" Ned insisted, looking rather flustered.

"We're fine!" One of the guys drunkenly assured.

"Yeah Nickerson, leave us alone!" Another one yelled through slurred speech.

"Go back to your girlfriend, Francy!" A third shouted.

"Her name is Nancy!" Ned replied sharply, his face red.

"Whaaateverrrr," The guy said between burps.

Alice rushed up to Ned and tapped him on the shoulder. Ned whirled around, and seemed relieved that it wasn't another college dude trying to join the group he was scolding.

"Have you seen Henry?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, he went into the cemetery," Ned replied, "Odd though. It looked like he was with..." Ned made a face, "No, nevermind. That couldn't be right."

Alice ignored Ned's odd addition and looked towards the open black gates. Groups were wandering inside and outside of it, though it seemed like most were a bit wary about traveling it so late at night.

"Thanks!" Alice said to Ned and then rushed towards that direction.


	9. Chapter 9: Ex's and Oh No's

Summer stomped her way into the library. Ugh, how dare he?! She thought. How dare he just move on like that? Like she never meant a thing to him? Like she hadn't devoted herself to him like any other good girlfriend would? He said he needed a break! And, now he's getting cozy with some gross punk chick? Disgusting.

But, what frustrated Summer most was the smug look on that purple-haired girl's face. Slobbering all over him and pawing his body like a dog. It was enough to make her wanna throw up. Acting like she owned Henry now that girl did - as if! She was with Henry first. Didn't she deserve to have him back if she wanted it? She was better looking than that girl too, had better curves, better hair, better style. Sure that girl didn't kiss him on the lips, but Summer would bet that she was a better kisser too.

Then an idea popped in Summer's mind.

A better kisser...

It wouldn't surprise her if Henry still hadn't truly kissed his so-called new 'girlfriend'. After all, he was always so hesitant to kiss even Summer, especially after she finally told him what a horrible kisser he was. Henry was always so insecure. That's what Summer liked, though. It just made it easier to get him to buy her what she wanted. It made him love her all the more, because he thought he didn't deserve her.

Summer tapped her heel on the ground thoughtfully. Suddenly, she saw a flash of purple hair rush past her. It was that girl. Summer watched Alice search through the coolers, a plot forming in her head.

She scanned the room and her eyes landed on a guy with a big leather jacket on, leaning against the wall and nursing a beer. She smiled to herself. The perfect bait.

Summer strode over to him, stretching her lips into a seductive smile.

"Hey handsome," She greeted.

The guy looked up, surprised. Then he smiled back in a similar manner.

"Why, hello there, gorgeous," He returned, giving Summer a quick one over. His gaze paused on her cleavage and short skirt for an extra set of time, "What's your name?"

"Summer. Yours?"

"Derek," He grinned, displaying a set of white teeth.

"You know, you would be perfect for my friend," Summer stated, "She loves that retro look."

The guy's expression seemed to falter a little, "Is that so?"

"Yeah, she's the one over by the coolers with the bright purple hair. You should really go talk to her," Summer suggested.

The guy glanced towards that direction. He didn't seem to agree with the idea.

"Why don't I just talk to you?" He asked, plastering another smile as he closed the gap between Summer and him.

Summer's smile tightened, "You don't want to talk to me. I've already got a guy. She, however, is looking for someone like you." Summer batted her eyelashes, hoping he would take the bait. When she realized he wasn't biting she finally added, "Though, if it doesn't work out between you two...I suppose I could give you a chance."

Derek raised an eyebrow, "What about your guy?"

Summer feigned that innocent look she had perfected by now, "What guy?"

Derek smirked, "You promise you'll give me a..." He moved in so their faces were hardly an inch a part, "chance?"

"Only if you at least try to talk to her," Summer verified, not at all affected by Derek's tricks.

"Alright. It's a deal," He winked, "I'll see you shortly."

Summer watched his back as he strode over to Alice. Her mouth curved into a smile. Perfect.

She then spun on her heel and headed back into the parlor where she found Henry still sitting on the couch. He seemed to be very focused on his knee for some reason. Summer checked to be sure no one was near him, and then swooped in like a hawk catching it's prey.

"Did I ever mention that I love vampires?" Henry's attention snapped up when he heard Summer's voice.

"S-Summer!" He jumped to his feet. His face was almost as red as Summer's lipstick. Summer tried to push back the memory of Alice and Henry's earlier...session.

"No need to get so excited," Summer chuckled, "I'm not here to try anything, I just wanna chat for a bit. Mind if I sit?"

Before Henry could form a cohesive reply she had already taken the seat beside him.

"Are you gonna sit down too? It's much more comfortable on this love seat," Summer offered.

"O-oh. Y-yeah," Henry sunk back down. Making sure he took the spot furthest from Summer.

Summer sighed wistfully, "Henry, you know I was being honest when I said I miss you."

Henry didn't reply. He trained his eye on the table in front of them, refusing to even glance at Summer.

"I know I didn't really...treat you very well while we dated."

Henry's ears perked. You don't mean that, he thought.

"I was a horrible girlfriend, I know. Always asking for things, never giving back. But..." Summer's voice broke a bit, "I've seen the error of my ways and I...I relly wanna make up. I wanna give back for once."

Henry looked up at Summer, he was shocked to see her eyes brimming with tears

"Henry could you...could you ever learn to forgive me?" She asked, looking up at him with those big brown eyes of hers.

"S-Summer, I didn't realize you..." Henry paused, feeling very conflicted, "I...I can't really forgive you for how you treated me. Not yet at least. But...if you really are being honest right now-"

"I am Henry, I truly am," Summer insisted, her voice almost pleading.

"Well, I suppose we could try and...sort things out - but that doesn't mean I want to get back together!" He quickly clarified, "But, I'm willing to...to give you a second chance."

"Oh, thank you!" Summer flung her arms around him, "I promise not to disappoint you this time."

"A-alright," Henry awkwardly patted her on the back, now thoroughly confused. Was it really that easy?

Summer slowly unwrapped her arms and sniffed.

"Do you...do you think we could talk somewhere a bit more private, though?" She offered, "It's kind of difficult with how loud it is in here. Maybe we could go into your room?"

"My room? Well..." Henry hesitated. He was still a bit wary about Summer, sure she seemed genuine, but he also knew that she was quite a good actor. He could recall plenty of moments where she shed a tear to get what she wanted. He wasn't quite comfortable enough to go into his room alone with her.

"How about the cemetery?" He offered instead, "There's not many people in there, and it's a lot cooler outside than in here."

Summer nodded, "Alright, whatever works best."

"Okay. Let's go."

The two then got up and headed for the cemetery. Summer guided Henry through the library, careful to not catch the eye of a certain purple haired girl.

* * *

The two didn't talk until they reached a part of the cemetery that was less populated. Only the occasional group or couple passed them, engrossed in either each other or in whatever they were doing. The two sat down on a stone bench that had been built along one of the stone pathways.

"So...where should we start?" Henry finally asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Why did he agree to this again?

"Well, I suppose I should apologize...again. I was selfish," Summer admitted, "I was more worried about what you could give me than what I could give you."

Henry was surprised to hear her admit such a cutting truth.

"I guess I was just kind of desperate for someone to pay attention to me after...well after my dad left."

Henry's eyes widened. What did she just say?

"Y-your dad-?"

"He left shortly before we started dating," Summer explained, her expression somber, "While we were together I watched my mom slowly sink into depression. As you could guess, I didn't feel very 'loved' after that. I...I just...I guess I was just desperate for love. Even if my idea of that was rather skewed by that point."

Henry was stunned. Was this really the same Summer from before?

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" He asked.

"I don't know, I guess I was just...afraid? That you might hear my problems and then leave me for them. It wouldn't be the first time. Even before my dad left, my parents always fought. The guy I dated before you broke up with me just because he was sick of hearing me complain about it. So, I was wary about you doing the same."

Henry looked at Summer sympathetically.

"Summer, I lost both my parents. Not in the same way as you, but I would've understood."

"I know, I was stupid," Summer bit her lip, "You were always so good to me Henry. I was such an idiot trying to take advantage of that."

"Summer..." Without thinking Henry reached his hand out to her. He placed it lightly on her shoulder.

Summer reached her own hand up and placed it on top his. Her hands felt cold to Henry.

"Henry, I..." Summer glanced away, and stared off to the side, "I still love you...I always did I was just...terrible at showing it."

Henry again was at a loss for words. His instinct was to say "I love you too", but he honestly didn't think that was true. He wasn't sure how he felt at the moment. Suddenly, Alice came to mind. How did he feel about her? They had shared a moment earlier, but...that was just her helping him. She probably didn't like him to the extent that he liked her. And he did like her, but could he say that he loved her? He wasn't sure. He thought he loved Summer, but when they broke up he decided that love wasn't real. Now he wondered if perhaps there really was something there. He searched Summer's face, as if the answer would be written there.

She finally looked up at him, into his eyes. He stared back into hers, still searching for his answer. Then, she did something that only made him more confused.

She kissed him.


	10. Chapter 10: You're Incredible

Alice could hardly believe what she was seeing.

She had finally spotted Henry, only to find that Summer was right next to him. Before she could even consider interrupting the two she saw Summer lean forward and press her lips against Henry's.

Alice suddenly felt like she couldn't breath. Her heart stopped beating for a moment. She was frozen in place, rooted only a few feet away from the two. Everything seemed to slow down. She didn't know what to think. She hardly believed what she was seeing. It wasn't until she saw Henry suddenly shove Summer away that her brain started working again.

"W-what are you doing?!" She heard him exclaim from afar.

"Henry, I love you," Summer stated, though Alice could not hear a hint of genuinity in her tone.

The blonde took his head in her hands and kissed him again. But, Henry pulled away from it, jumping to his feet.

"No! Stop!" He shouted defiantly.

"Henry, what's-"

"I'm sick of your games Summer! I'm sick of you manipulating me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about! I know what you're trying to do, Summer. To think I believed you for a moment. You don't feel guilty at all, do you? Let me guess you want more money? Perhaps the mansion?" Henry laughed, his expression nearly manic, "You know what, take it! It's nothing but rotten wood and cobwebs! Or maybe you want another thousand dollar sound machine?!"

"No, Henry I really do lov-"

"SHUT UP!"

Summer froze, her expression shocked.

"Don't lie to me," Alice saw him beginning to shake, "I can't take this anymore. Stop treating me like some kind of toy."

Summer didn't speak.

"Leave. Now."

She didn't move.

"LEAVE. NOW!"

Summer jumped at his loud command and stood to her feet.

"Fine," She finally spoke, her expression melting into a disgusted scowl, "Have fun with that ugly purple haired mess of yours."

Alice balled her hands into fists, knowing she meant her.

"How any woman could be insecure enough to go out with you is a mystery to me," Summer added, a smug grin spreading across her lips, "Or maybe she didn't. I wouldn't be surprised if you paid her to play girlfriend, you two probably haven't even-"

Finally, Alice had heard enough. She walked right up to the two, catching both rather off guard.

"Alice!" Henry's eyes widened upon seeing her.

"Oh? If it isn-"

Summer didn't get to finish what she planned on saying next. Because right at that moment Alice had lifted her hand and smacked her right across the face.

Summer clutched the side of her face, gasping for words.

"You are the lowest of the low," Alice growled, "People like you disgust me."

"You.." Summer clutched her cheek, "You ugly bitch!"

"Oh please, enough with the formalities. If it's a fight you're looking for, I'm all ready." Alice unzipped her hoodie and tossed it to the side, exposing a plain black tank top.

Summer gritted her teeth while Henry gawked. He had never really noticed it under all the layers or loose clothes she wore, but Alice, especially since she was flexing, actually had quite impressive arms. No wonder she had broken that box open with such ease all those days ago. She was also a slight taller than Summer, and wasn't wearing unreasonable shoes.

"Go target someone else's insecurities, we're both sick of you," Alice coolly stated, "And save your theatrics for the stage."

Summer's scowl was deadly, but Alice didn't back down.

"I'll!...I'll!" The girl clenched her fists, "...ARGH!" She then stomped off in a rage.

Henry watched her go with wide eyes. He then turned back to Alice.

"You're truly more amazing than I thought," He said, staring at her in awe.

Alice grinned, "Thanks."

"No, truly," Henry repeated, taking Alice's hands in his own, "You're incredible."

She looked up at him and stared into his icy blue eyes, and he stared into her hazel ones.

"Today has been a crazy night, hasn't it?" She stated, a humorous smile playing on her lips.

Henry let out a snicker which turned into a chuckle, and then became a full out hearty laugh. After everything that had happened tonight, this girl still found a way to make things lighthearted. He doubled over, unable to stop laughing for some reason. It wasn't even that funny, but he needed a good laugh.

Alice grinned. This was the first time she had ever gotten him to truly laugh. She loved the sound of it.

When he had finally finished he let out a sigh.

"You are truly incredible," He stated again.

Alice felt her heart skip a beat.

"Well, guess we should head back, shouldn't we?" Henry announced stretching. He began to head down the path back to the mansion

"Wait," Alice called out, causing the young man to stop in his tracks, "I want to talk to you about back in the parlor."

Henry's cheeks turned pink at the memory of their intimate interaction.

"I know it was just for the charade," He began, "I get it-"

"No," Alice interrupted, "It may have seemed like I was just doing it to help you, but in all truth, I'm not the type of person to just do that stuff with anyone."

"Alice, what are you-?"

"I know you've already had a crazy night. And, I don't even know what you think of me. But, I don't want you to think that that moment in the parlor meant nothing. And if...if you'd be willing to give me a chance..."

Henry looked at her, only getting more and more confused as she rambled.

"I REALLY LIKE YOU OKAY?!" Alice finally shouted, far louder than she needed too. Henry jumped in response.

His face immediately flushed afterward, "O-oh," Was the only reply he could manage, however.

"At first it was just to help you, but...for awhile now I've had quite a crush on you, and tonight...well..."

Henry was silent as Alice continued to rant about her feelings, though he wasn't really paying attention since he was still processing the fact that she had just confessed to him. Holy crap, Alice just confessed to him. Henry was in shock. This girl who he thought was so incredible, so beautiful. Who stood up for him and helped him out. Who's eyes were like gold, who's laugh was so infectious, and who's smile lit up every dim, depressing room in his house. Even after all the embarrassing accidents. After she knew how poor he was with people and words. Somehow she found something to like about him.

"So...yeah, that's it," Alice finished, "Thank you for listening, and I understand if you don't feel the same..."

"Huh?" Henry was abruptly pulled out of his stupor, realizing what she was saying currently.

Was she not expecting him to answer? Should he say something?

"I suppose we should go back now."

Alice began to walk away.

 _No. Tell her your feelings! She's walking away!_

"Wait!" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, "I feel the same way."

"W-what?"

"I really like you, Alice. I think you're incredible," Henry answered.

"R-really?"

"Yes. I d-"

He was unable to finish because Alice had suddenly pressed her lips against his.

Henry was never a good kisser. At least, according to Summer he wasn't. But, that didn't matter. Because Alice was an incredible kisser. Her lips merged with his, parting and coming back together in perfect sync. Her body pressed against his, both trying to pull the other closer into their arms despite there being no need too. Her tongue slipped against his own, and he felt weak at the knees. It all felt so perfect. Any kiss before then meant nothing. It was as if this was his very first.

When they finally parted, both had to catch their breath before they could talk.

"You're a great kisser," Henry said between pants.

Alice laughed breathily, "Good and bad kisses aren't a talent. It's all about the emotion behind it."

Henry raised an eyebrow.

"Well...I suppose it helps to know what you're doing too," Alice added with a smile.

Henry let out another laugh, "You're incredible."

"You've said that already," Alice chuckled.

"Kiss me again."

And, she did.


End file.
